A Teacher Tech Tip

Ever need a special character like ✄, but you can't remember the key combination to create it?  Did you ever want to put in a symbol and you couldn't remember how?  Would you like to use a ☂ in your writing and not have to put it in as a picture and have to get it in the just right spot?  Or maybe put a ✎ by the spot your students need to write their answer or their name?

Here is a neat website, shared by Tammy Worcester's Tech Tip of the Week, that will allow you to do those things easily!  I just ♥ how easy it is to use.  All you do is click on the image, then go to your page and paste it.  It is so simple.

Instructions:

1. 1.Go to: http://www.copypastecharacter.com/
   
   
2. 2.Click the desired character.
   (This will automatically copy it to your computer’s clipboard.)
   Note - Do not right-click or control-click. Just a regular mouse-click will copy it.
   
   
3. 3.Go to wherever you want to paste the character.
   This could be a Word document, a Google doc, an email message, a blog post, or even a Tweet. You can paste the character anywhere.  
   
   
4. 4.Paste.  Holding down the control key and typing the letter V will paste the last thing you copied to your clipboard into your document or PowerPoint and is fast.
   
   
5. 5.That’s it!
   
   
   ☞Think of all the time that can be saved!☜
   
   
   

   

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Teaching Blog Expo-September 17

Have you heard about the Teaching Blog Expo?  This is one you won't want to miss!

Blogging 101 is the conference topic and it will bring 7 fantastic TBA authors online for teaching, inspiration, and fun.

There will be virtual goodie bags valued at hundreds of dollars, live Q & A time, giveaways, as well as the opportunity to view these sessions at an time after the live conference since they will be recorded.

Save money with early registration. Tickets purchased before September 3 will receive a discount.

See you there!  Click on the Teaching Blog Expo button to learn more about this fabulous opportunity!

Order of Operations

I noticed that many people are looking for Order of Operations items.

For some reason this is a hard thing for some students to grasp.  I previously posted that Aunt Sally doesn't visit my room for order of operations, the elephants do.  Here is the link to Is This a Purple Elephant?

There was also a request for a fun way to practice so I made a new Tic-Tac-Learn game that has players solving order of operation problems or come up with the expression for the shape's perimeter.

Here are links to my Teachers Pay Teachers Store

Tic-Tac-Learn Order of Operations Game

Order of Operation Story

Here are links to my Teachers Notebook Shop

Tic-Tac-Learn Order of Operations Game

Order of Operation Story

Just because I appreciate my blogging friends, the first two people to post a comment will get either the game or the story.  In your comment, you must leave your email address and tell me which one you would like to receive.  Only the first two!  (They are both read only files.  Sorry MAC users.  Have to do that to protect templates and clip art.)

Professor Pig's Magic Math

This summer I was reading one of the forums and someone provided a link to the Professor Pig's Magic Math Site.  It is designed for K-3. It is set up to teach the basic facts and there are comics.  :0)

Although the author is no longer adding new chapters to this math curriculum, there are still ideas that can be used.  There are songs, games, etc. in the downloads.

Click on the image to visit the site.

If you are the person who shared the link, please let me know and I will gladly give you credit.

Orange Goo? What is it?

Do you have a guess what it is and where it is?  

Well, it has been washing ashore in a remote village in Alaska.  Did that change your guess?

Learn more about this and many other things at Go Go News, Big News for Little People.  

One more thing, you can get a daily news article sent to your mailbox.  Did I mention it was FREE!!!!!!!!!  This is a great way to add some nonfiction reading for your students with no cost.  

Another neat thing about this site, is has a read to me option for each of the short articles.  A great way to help those that struggle with reading learn some fun things.  Shucks, I think some of the articles are interesting.  :0)

I Have Been Busy!

This week I have been busy making new items to aid our students.

I have listed at my Teachers Notebook and my Teachers Pay Teachers store TEN new items.

If your students are working on multiplication facts, I have added Multiplication Memory Games to my stores to aid them in this quest.  There are two complete games per set and I have added five new sets.  They are games that require the students to remember the location of the cards to match the multiplication problem to the correct answer.  There are 27 pairs of problems in each game and there are two games in each set.  The multiplication problems for 3-12 area available.

Since there are five different games I am going to provide links to my stores.  

Vintage Teacher's Teachers Notebook Shop

Vintage Teacher's Teachers Pay Teachers Store

I also added a game called Scarecrow Addition to 20.  In this concentration type game players try to match addends to get the sum of 20.  Great fun while practicing addition!

TPT Store-Scarecrow Addition to 20

TN Shop-Scarecrow Addition to 20

I have added 3D Dominoes that requires players to identify 3D nets and shapes. 

TN- 3D Dominoes

TPT- 3D Dominoes

There is also a new Three-In-A-Row Game with Whole Numbers available as well!  Comparison symbols always confuse my students.  That is one skill that is practiced on some of the questions in this game.  This is a read-only PowerPoint game.

TPT Three-In-A-Row Whole Numbers

TN Three-In-A-Row Whole Numbers

These are just a few of the things I have added.  Be sure to visit the Vintage Teachers Pay Teachers Store and the Vintage Teacher Shop at Teachers Notebook.  You will never know what you will find!

Office Max Savings for Teachers

I was contacted by Office Max.  They want to reach out to teachers and schools and offer them a few coupons to their Print Center.

Through the Office Max ImPress Print Center, teachers can take advantage of three deals with the appropriate coupons.  

• This expires TODAY, Saturday 27--$0.29 on color copies (regular price is $0.49)
• Until September 24:  $8.99 on 18"-by-24" posters (regularly $17.98)
• Until September 24:  50% off on lamination services.

In every Office Max store, you will find an ImPress Print Center staffed with experts that can answer your questions and help you with your projects or printing.

Click on the button below to get the coupons.

If you cannot access the coupons, leave your name and email address in the comment section and I will send them to you asap.

Five Friday Freebies - Week 13

PLEASE leave feedback for these authors so they know that you appreciate them sharing their freebies.  With the launch of the new web design it is more important than ever to leave ratings.

(If you are not a TPT member, membership is FREE. Here is a link to register so you will be able to download. TPT registration  )

Now to the good stuff. This week's freebies are:

Freebie #1 -    Monster Math Making 20 by Reagan Tunstall

Freebie #2 -   Tallies & Graphs:  Collecting Class Data by Linda Nelson

Freebie #3 -    Orbit the Sun For Money by Tim Engler

Freebie #4 -    SmartBoard Attendance File -Toolbox by Sunny Days

Freebie #5 -   Pirate Voices by Donna Glynn/Kinderglynn

My Name is Osama

The story My Name is Osama was first published in Middle Level Learning, a publication of the National Council for the Social Studies.  It is the story of an Iraqi boy named Osama whose family moves to the United States.


I like to use this story at the first of the year with my students.  I usually wait until I start hearing them "picking on someone".  With sixth graders I am usually in full swing taking care of the issue of picking on someone about the second or third week of school.  


Since sixth graders in my district study Ancient Civilizations, it also ties in really well.  We take the references to rivers, etc. in the letter and do map work determining where Osama is from.  I read them the story while they read it and we discuss it.  As a class, they normally have some very powerful discussions for sixth graders.  It usually really affects most of my students and gives them a different perspective on the issue of judging others by their dress, name, etc.  


One year, I had students crying because they identified with Osama and how he felt.  They were extremely brave and shared with the class how they felt and their story of being judged.  That touched the rest of my students more than you can imagine.  They became a very tight knit group that worked together and were very considerate of each other's feelings.


It has been a really poignant lesson since September 11.  Click on the button below to read the story and/or download the pdf.

Lesson Cloud Launch

Today is the official launch for Lesson Cloud.  It is being celebrated with a day of freebie postings.

Be sure to visit.  You never know what you will find.  ;0)

Coupons for Military Families Opportunity

 Do you have coupons you don't use?  Are you looking for a service project for your students, groups, or family?

This summer Fern Smith's Classroom Blog shared the details about sending coupons to military families to help them.  What a great project.  They will even take expired coupons.

Visit Fern's blog to learn more details about this opportunity to help the families of our military.

Sixth Grade Bloggers--Are You Out There?

Where are you sixth grade teachers?  I know you have to be out there somewhere. The A+ blogs need you.

We are looking for you!  Why not link up with the A+ blogs on TBA? Click on the image to go to sign up as an A+ blog and please leave your name and blog address in the comment section below so we all can visit your blog.

Spread the word through your buildings, we need sixth grade A+ bloggers to join us. Everyone should have as much fun as we are sharing ideas.  I think so,  don't you?

Magnetic Silly Putty

I noticed that many of you have been going back and looking at this post, so I thought I would repost it so it would be easier to find and so  my new blogging friends can learn about magnetic silly putty.

Watch this video.    Yes, silly putty, the stuff inside the egg shaped toy.  If you teach magnets, this would be an awesome attention getter.  I know it would get my attention.




Have you seen this DIY project or tried it?  If you have, please share your experience in the comment section. 

I think it looks like great fun.  Wouldn't it be a blast to watch the students in your rooms faces when it starts moving or when it "swallows" the magnet.    Got to love it!!!!!!  Click the picture below to go to the DIY project.

Guatemalan Giveaway

Leslie at Jack of all Trades is having a give away in honor of her new blog following and her mission work in Guatemala.

She has some wonderful pictures and some great prizes that she purchased in Guatemala.  Be sure to visit to enter her giveaway and to see how your life can be changed when you think of and help others.  

Have You Voted Today? Revised

Asking for your help, please...

Kleinspiration was nominated for Parents Magazine

"Best Mom Tech Blog"

How can you help?

- Click Here to Vote

By Best Mom Tech Blog

Teaching Blog Addict was nominated for Parents Magazine


"Best All-Around Mom Blog"

How can you help?


Click Here to Vote

A Special Kind of Class was nominated for Parents Magazine


"Best Special Needs Blog"

How can you help?

Click Here to Vote

If I have missed any other TBA blogs that have been nominated, please let me know.  A Special Kind of Class Blog I am sorry I missed you on the original post.  Let's support our TBA authors by voting!

Facebook Tip from Blogging With Amy

Blogging with Amy shared this tip for Facebook:


If you're like me, you sometimes like to write a status update that has a paragraph break in it...


like that to skip a line.  Of course, hitting enter as you would normally do, just automatically posts your update.  
So, in order to get the break, hold down the Shift key and hit enter.

Five Friday Freebies - Week 12

PLEASE leave feedback for these authors so they know that you appreciate them sharing their freebies.

(If you are not a TPT member, membership is FREE. Here is a link to register so you will be able to download. TPT registration  )

Now to the good stuff. This week's freebies are:

Freebie #1 -   Three Little Pigs Notebook File by Danielle Cadieux

Freebie #2 -  Nets of Cubes Activity Sheets by Nyla's Crafty Teaching

Freebie #3 -   Canada Scavenger Hunt Activity for Human Geography by Michele Luck's Social Studies

Freebie #4 -   Pirate Treasure Math Game by Teacher Tam

Freebie #5 -  Snaky Sentences--Sentence Practice by Mrs.Mc

Taking on Third

I just want to take a second and thank Amber, at Taking on Third for my Gift Card.

She had a drawing for a $10 Amazon Gift Card, and I won!  This is the second time I have won something this summer.  That is a record, since I normally win nothing.

Thank you so much Taking on Third.

This is a new blog and I encourage you to show her some blogging friend power!

Science Safety

Science Stuff has an article today about safety in Science, and I thought I would share some things I learned about science safety in an elementary classroom.

I attended a conference a few years ago and learned that as an elementary teacher that I am held to the same guidelines as the high school teachers.

I was told I need  to teach safety, everyone had to take a safety test and get a score of 100%, and I had to have a safety contract signed by the parents and the student.  If I didn't have those things on file prior to something happening,  I was opening myself up legally should someone get hurt, even a simple cut.

I asked about the 100% score and was asked if I thought a child only need to act safely 90% of the time. That was why it has to be a perfect score, to show that you expect them to be safe 100% of the time.

Did you know that if you have baking soda and common kitchen ingredients in your room to use with Science, those are considered chemicals and need to be stored according to safety guidelines?  If you do experiments of any kind in your room, it is a lab.

Many elementary teachers have told me that they thought it was stupid, they didn't teach high school science and they would not waste their time.  I never understood how teaching safety and protecting myself legally was a waste of time.

I for one would rather error on the side of protecting myself  legally, especially since the director of Science education for the state was the one who told me when I was having a conversation with her.  I was totally unaware of the issues.

It was also recommended that there not be a class pet that might bite because again the liability was totally mine as the teacher.  It popped into my mind, the parent that had to be called the week before because our class' pet hamster had bit her son, because he was being mean to the hamster.  Thank goodness the mom's reply was, " I hope he learned a lesson about his choices. He deserved to be bit."

In this time of lawsuits galore, can we ever be too careful with the amount of liability we assume?  I am not a lawyer, I am just sharing the information I received.  Liability may vary from state to state.

Here is a link to the article from Science Stuff about her high school class.

New Year-Familiar Objectives

With the beginning of the new school year, place value and estimation are common objectives at the beginning of many levels of math instruction.

Here are some resources that are available in my Teachers Pay Teachers store to help show mastery of those skills:

Estimation Rounding Numbers

Place Value Tic-Tac-Toe PowerPoint Game--Whole Numbers

Division Estimation PowerPoint Activity

Estimating Fractions and Mixed Numbers Practice Sheets

HTML tables

DeLurking Challenge

Are you one of the secret visitors to Vintage Teacher and all the teaching blogs everywhere?  Do you quietly come in, read the posts, download the freebies, and never say anything?  Are you one of those lurkers?  If you are this challenge is for you!


I am challenging you to come out of the shadows, take off that invisibility cloak and de-lurk yourself!  :0)  No more lurking be an active participant in this wonderful world of blogging.


So here's the challenge:


For the next 7 days...Tuesday to Tuesday...you are challenged to comment on every blog you read!  I agree that is a lot, especially if you like to read blogs, so lets say 5 or 10 blogs...or whatever number works for you. 


The idea is to share your wonderful thoughts, and to show appreciation to all the teacher bloggers out there.  With the beginning of school, it is a time for teachers to support each other and to have a little fun, too!


Are you up to the challenge?  Are you ready for fun!  Then take part in the great 2011 De-Lurking Challenge!

Read Aloud Resource

Have you seen or used the fabulous resources available at The Wise Owl Factory Book A Day Blog?

This blog has resources available for many books on the primary level, as well as for grades 4 and up.  There is one whole page that is nothing but freebies.  How great is that!

It is too good to miss!  Click on the image above to go this resource, but don't forget to return to Vintage Teacher!

Vote to Support These Blogs

TBA Needs your Help: Please support Us...

Teaching Blog Addict has been nominated for Parent's Magazine

"Best Blog Awards"

click here to vote: Teaching Blog Addict

By Best All-Around Mom Blog

and one of our authors, Erin Klein, has been nominated for her site: Kleinspiration

"Best Mom Tech Blog"

click here to vote: Kleinspiration

By Best Mom Tech Blog

We'd really appreciate you taking the time to vote for both sites!

Science: Endangered Life

Science: Endangered Life

ARKive: Images of Life on Earthhosts thousands of video clips and photos of animals and plants from around the world. You'll find grade leveled lesson plans ranging from Guess Zoo (classification) to Design a Species (adaptation). But the wonder of ARKive is its easily searchable collection of digital images by talented professionals. ARKive is an initiative of Wildscreen, a UK-based charity that provides images of life to build environmental awareness and bolster the prospects of endangered species. You're welcome to use any of the media for educational purposes.

This came from the weekly MiddleWeb's weekly e-newsletter.  They have newsletters for free from other subjects as well.  They are a good resource.

Here is a link if you would like to subscribe.

Welcome to MiddleWeb's weekly e-newsletter, featuring web-based resources of interest to


 middle grades educators and others who support the success of young adolescents.                


 Visit MiddleWeb.

Blog Buttons

I have a favor to ask.  If you have posted my blog button on your blog or I am listed in your blog roll, I want to return the kindness.

If I am listed on your blog, and you do not see your button under my blogging friends or in my blog roll, please leave me a comment so I can fix that.

I am trying to rework that part of my blog, and I don't want to leave anyone out that I shouldn't.  I follow over 370 blogs so it is easy to leave someone off unintentionally.

Thanks so much for visiting my blog!

Vocabulary Spelling City Goes to ....

Thank you to all who chose to leave a comment.  The premium membership to Vocabulary Spelling City goes to Comment Number 24  by Sarah Merz.  Congratulations Sarah.


Sarah, please contact me so I can get the information to you on how to get your membership.


Thank you also to Vocabulary Spelling City for sponsoring this opportunity for Vintage Teacher's Friends.

Vocabulary Spelling City a Great Classroom Resource

Today, Saturday, is the last day to join in the Back To School Celebration where one of my friends will be chosen to receive a free premium membership from Vocabulary Spelling City.  Have you told me that you would like to have the opportunity to receive this wonderful gift?

If you are a teacher who works in a school that provides a classroom subscriptions for you to use, what a great gift for your child's classroom!

Do you buy a subscription to Vocabulary Spelling City out of your classroom funds?  Why not join in the back to school celebration at Vintage Teacher and possibly get a premium membership for free and spend your classroom funds on something else you need?

Did you know they have teacher resources for analogies, compound words, contractions, Dolch-sight words, Math vocabulary, multiple meaning words, and sound alike words?

Click on the image below to go to the post to let me know you would like the opportunity.   Everyone is encouraged to enter.  If you are a parent or a teacher whose school provides a subscription, what a great gift to give your child's classroom!

Clip Art Sale

Artwork by Trina Clark  (Digiscrapkits) is having an 88 cent sale until midnight Eastern time August 17.

Her terms for her clip art are very, very teacher friendly.  Click on the image below to be taken to her store.

Five Friday Freebies - Week 11-Back-To-School Special Edition

PLEASE leave feedback for these authors so they know that you appreciate them sharing their freebies.

(If you are not a TPT member, membership is FREE. Here is a link to register so you will be able to download. TPT registration  )  No membership is required for items from Teachers Notebook.

Now to the good stuff. This week's freebies are:

Freebie #1 -  Back to School Top 10 Lists Activity by Tracee Orman

Freebie #2 -   First Week Icebreaker by Ruth S.

Freebie #3 - September Brain Benders by Brain Benders

Freebie #4 -  Back to School Bus Glyph by Traci Vedros

Freebie #5 -   Back to School by Jessica McCrary

Freebie #6 - Polka Dot Classroom Labels by Karen Cox

Freebie #7 - Alphabet Pack Worksheets by First Grade Fanatics

Freebie #8 - Take Me Home - Hop into Learning by Ana-Ingles 360.net

Freebie #9 - Back-To-School Brain Teaser/Vocabulary Builder by Margaret Whisnant

Freebie #10 - Back to School Desk Nameplates by Primary Graffiti

Now that is a Five Friday Freebie-Special Edition!

Don't forget to enter my Rewarding A Friend  for a chance to receive a free Vocabulary/Spelling City Premium Membership.

Staples Teacher Appreciation Day

Just a reminder to check and see when the Staples in your area is having Teacher Appreciation Day.  At my local Staples, it is this Saturday from 9-12.  Click on the image above to check your local area.

Back-To-School Thursday--Rewarding a Friend

Thursday is the start of  the Rewarding a Friend celebration.

Today, you can start entering your name as a friend for the opportunity to be chosen for a free premium membership to Vocabulary/Spelling City compliments of Vocabulary/Spelling City and Vintage Teacher.

Here are the facts:

• One "friend" will receive a free premium membership to Vocabulary Spelling City
• The value of the membership is $49.99.
• To enter you must leave a comment on this post.  
• Entries will be accepted until Saturday, August 13, 2011 at 11:59 P.M. Central Time
• One entry per person
• Void where prohibited
• Winner will be posted on Sunday, August 14, 2011 and must respond by email within 24 hours of the posting
• If winner doesn't respond within 24 hours, another winner will be selected.
• Winner will be chosen by random number chooser.

Not mandatory, but greatly appreciated:

• Follow Vintage Teacher blog 
• Follow Vocabulary Spelling City Facebook page
• Follow Vintage Teacher Facebook page
• Spread the word about this opportunity on your blog, Facebook, email, or twitter

Here is a link to a post I wrote about this resource: Vocabulary Spelling City.com

Thank you to all who entered.  This opportunity is now over.

Back-To-School Wonderful Wednesday

Today is wonderful Wednesday and I am going to share you some resources on the web regarding glyphs.

The resource I use year after year is Bioglyphs.  Each child completes their bioglyph and doesn't show anyone.  They lightly write their name in pencil on the back.  I glue the bioglyphs to construction paper and put them up.  (I ask all the teachers who work with my students and the administration to complete one also.)  Then the fun begins.  They try to figure who each glyph belongs to.  I leave it up for open house so the parents can try to determine which one is their child's.


Here are the links to some glyph resources:

Bioglyph - (There is also a PowerPoint to use with this project)

Back to School Glyphs and activities


Do you use glyphs to learn about your students?

Back-To-School Tuesday

Today I am going to share a dual purpose organizer.

I start out by explaining the rules to my students while holding the clock.  They are to collect each other's signatures.  If someone signs your sheet, you must sign their sheet.  The catch is you both have to sign by the same number.  If they sign by a four, you have to to sign on their sheet by a four.  You may only sign someones sheet once.

I then give them time to get every one's signature.

Then, we see who can get by  the person that signed their sheet the fastest.  I say stand by the person who signed your sheet by the two.  They then rapidly race to get by that person.  It helps them learn each others names, and more.  If there are 3 people standing together and someone doesn't have a partner, I know immediately there is a problem.  I then, fix the problem.  After going through all the times, I collect the sheets.

Before the next class period, I make me a copy of their sheets. (Sometimes, I copy them on colored paper and give that copy back to its owner.)  I make a copy because sometimes names magically change when they find out the second use for this or in case one paper would decide to disappear into the trash can.

When I give the clocks back to their owners with holes punched.  My students quickly learn that means it is something I intend them to keep.

When we need to work with partners, I say work with your three o'clock partner, or your seven o'clock partner,etc and that person is their partner until further notice.  This helps by making students work with new partners: cuts down exclusion time and hard feelings for the one student that gets left out: and makes the cliques work with new people.  It also saves precious class time while they decide who will be partners.

You can download a pdf. with this free organizer at my TPT store or at my Teacher's Notebook store.

What type of group organization tools do you use?

Monday Gift for a Friend Winner

Since only six people left comments, I have decided to send all six of you the file you chose.  I have everyone's email, except Jennyfer @ The Accidental Teacher.  Jennyfer, please send me an email with your address.  There is a link to send me an email on the right side of my blog.

Be looking for you gift in your inbox!

Thanks for taking your time to comment, I appreciate it.

Monday Gift for a Friend

I would like to give one of my friends their choice of any item in my Teachers Pay Teachers store.  All you have to do to to let me know that you would like a gift is to go to my TPT store, look through it and decide what you want.  Post in the comment section section of this post what you would like to have if you are my blogging friend of the day.  If the random number generator chooses your number, I will send you what you have chosen!

There will be at least one winner, and possibly more tonight.  It depends upon how many people enter.

I will close this opportunity at 10:00 PM Central US Time.  I will post the number and the person selected and they will have 24 hours to contact me to get their selection.  In the event no one responds, then I will choose another number.


Click on the image to go to the Vintage Teacher TPT to decide what you would like to have if your number is chosen.  Feel free to follow my store if you would like to receive a notice when I add new things.

Thanks to all my blogging friends!

The time for this gifting opportunity has came to a close.  Thank you to all you entered.